﻿396 KUTCHIN. 



hunter in Mr. Murray's employment calmed the 

 storm. The woman had not been killed, but was 

 drowned in crossing a river, through the upsetting 

 of a canoe. A present of a large Eskimo spear, 

 valued at ten skins, was made to the brother, and 

 peace was restored. 



A body of the Han-Tcutchi^ residing at the 

 sources of the Yukon, came to visit Mr. Murray 

 early in August. Rumours of their hostile in- 

 tentions preceded them. The sudden death of 

 their chief in summer had been attributed by them 

 to the shamanism of the Kutcha-kutcM, and also 

 to the presence of white people in the country. 

 The Canadian voyagers looked on, therefore, with 

 apprehension, which was not quieted by the first 

 movements of their visitors. Twenty canoes first 

 appeared, gliding stealthily down the river to a 

 point above the encampment, on which the party 

 landed and assembled in silence. Mr. Murray 

 walked up to them, and expressed his pleasure at 

 the meeting ; but, rushing past him, the whole 

 body ran in full career to the lower end of the 

 encampment and back again to their landing-place, 

 shouting and whooping in a peculiar manner. 

 Then they formed a half circle, and danced with 

 great energy for a few minutes, beating time to 

 their songs with their feet. Their dresses, tinkling 

 with beads and brass trinkets, and their long 



